Dart Games: Cricket

Cricket is an increasingly popular dart game in America and Central Europe. Players adopt defensive or offensive strategies, depending on the state of the game. At any point during the game, each player can make efforts to increase the score or to attempt blocking other players from scoring.

The game is played with the numbers 15 through 20 and the Bull's Eye. Each player must mark a number three times to "close" it. A hit of a single number counts as one mark; a double counts as two marks and a triple counts as three marks. After a number is closed, additional "markings" are converted into scores that are equal to the number. However, when a number is closed by all players (all closed), that number is then no longer available for accumulating scores. The winner is the one who closes all the numbers first and has the highest score. If scores are even, the player who closes all numbers first wins.

The strategy can be very different if the game is being played with the restriction of closing each number in a specific order. Use the "handicap" function to choose such variations: playing "20 down to 15 then Bull" or "Bull and then 15 up to 20." Close numbers in the set sequence.

No Score Cricket This is a simplified version of Cricket. The objective is to close all the numbers as soon as possible. No score is given for a hit on a closed number at any time. Therefore, once a number is hit three times, you should move on to hit other targets. The winner is the one who registers all three hits on all numbers first. Cut Throat Cricket This is a reversed version of Cricket in scoring, most often played with three players. Two of the players may join up against another player before they turn against each other for a fight.

After a number is closed, a hit for scoring is added to the opponents' scores. The highest accumulative score is the losing score. However, no score will be added to a player who has the number already closed. The winner is the one who has the lowest score and closed all the numbers first. If a player has closed all the numbers first but also has a higher score, he/she must continue throwing to bring the opponents' scores over or equal to his/her score. Therefore, the best strategy is to close the numbers as soon as possible to block the other players from giving you points while adding the chance to penalize the others.

Killer Cricket
This game is much like the No Score Cricket with an added twist. When a number is closed, the player has a chance to eliminate an opponent marking by hitting the same number again. However, if the opponent has the number closed as well, then no marks will be taken away from that player. Keeping this in mind, instead of turning on a light, each positive marking will turn off a light on the Cricket Display. The first player who closes all the numbers is the winner.

Example: For the number 19, Player 1 has 1 hit (hence 1 light off), Player 2 has 2 hits (hence 2 lights off), and Player 3 has number 19 closed (3 lights off). Player 4 comes up and hits a triple 19, closing number 19 also. Player 4 then aims and hits single 19 again. In consequence, Player 1 and 2 each have one light turned on for 19, and Player 3 is not affected. This means Player 1 and 2 are being pushed back 1 hit away from closing 19.